The Pursuit of Happiness
by Kimidy
Summary: More Trink fluffyness, only this time a multichapter story!  What will happen in the new school year? R&R!
1. The Shopping Day

AN- Three surprises. **ONE:** Link (and especially Tracy) will BE IN CHARACTER THIS TIME! I just saw the movie again and took notes (and laughed my butt off at the Link in Tracy's room scene… snicker.. snicker… **TWO:** This will be ::gasp!:: a multi-chapter story and **THREE: **Well, stick around and you'll find out!

Now, for time-line. Around the middle of August since the pageant was in June… that would put them at dating for threeish months.

Oh, and no hope of in-dept kissing scenes from this author, seeing as though I'd have no idea what I was talking about and that makes me uncomfortable to breach a subject until I know…

Shutting up now. R&R my lovelies!

* * *

RING! RING! RING! RING!  
Tracy, still halfway asleep, assumed the ringing noise was her alarm clock and slammed her hand on it.

Something was still ringing. She pulled herself halfway up and finally realized it was the phone, which she had forgotten to turn off.

"Hello?"

"Good morning lil darling!"

At the sound of his cheery voice she bolted awake.

"Good morning! How are you?"

"Better now that I'm talking to my girl. Are you ready to go?"

To go? Where were they… And then Tracy remembered. They had planned to go school shopping together, as a new school year was starting next week.

"I'll be ready in ten minutes." She answered, glad she had laid out her clothes for tomorrow.

"All right, be there soon. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye." Click.

Amazingly, Tracy was ready in nine and a half minutes. She grabbed her purse, scribbled a note to her mother, and was on the front steps when Link pulled up.

She hopped in, he gave her a very pleasant good morning kiss, and they were off.

They arrived at the mall at a quarter till ten. Link parked the car, then hopped out and opened Tracy's door for her (being the sweet, charismatic hormonal teenage boy that he was) and waited for her to get out. Then he linked arms with her and they entered the mall.

Right after their very public first kiss on The Corny Collins show, Tracy had gotten literal glares from most of the pubescent girls of Baltimore whenever she went somewhere with Link. After three months of dating him she got mixed reactions. Some girls still glared, some completely ignored her and drooled at Link, and some would run up to the both of them and beg for autographs.

Tracy didn't care. She had the boy of her dreams and the only thing that would part them now was death.

After three hours of shopping they stopped by a vendor and ate fish'n'chips (and yes, there was some smearing ketchup on the other persons nose or lips and then licking it off, but they're young and in love so why not?) Then they took the shopping bags to the car, and were off again.

They ran by the high-school and picked up their locker numbers and schedules for the coming school year, and then went to Link's house.

They walked into the house, greeted by the family cat Tippy who couldn't decide which human to go to first for some loving.

They set their things on the kitchen table and began pouring over the schedules.

It was going to be a hard year. To pass the school they had to take higher math and science classes, and quite frankly neither of them were any good at said classes. Link was pretty decent in history (when he wasn't tuning into the latest gossip) and Tracy excelled in English, but when it came to trigonometry or chemistry they'd have to find a tutor somewhere.

"Do we know anyone who knows their stuff?" Tracy asked.

"I know I don't, the only reason I passed algebra was by sitting next to the brains of the class and charming my way into getting them to do my homework for me." "Link! That's horrible."

"I know, I know." Link used the back of his chair to make a pencil fly upwards by stretching a rubber band across the back of it. Tracy had learned from day one of their courtship that Link didn't have a long attention span; if he got bored or didn't want to discuss the topic he'd find ways to entertain himself (and he was easily entertained)

Tracy thought for a moment longer.

"I know who! Penny's told me before that Seaweed gets excellent grades in those subjects. I'll have to ask him what he would want in exchange for keeping us from flunking."

Link set up another pencil, pulled the rubber band, and watched as it went flying upwards before hitting the ceiling and landing back on the table.

"Now what do you want to do?" Tracy asked.

"I don't know, we could practice for the show." Link answered.

"Or we could watch TV." Tracy said.

"Or we could read a book." Link replied.

They looked at each other. "Nah!"

And then began kissing.

* * *

(Trust me readers, all they did was kiss)

But had ended up on the couch anyway, in a messy heap of rumbled clothes and hair.

It was time for Tracy to go home. She grabbed her things and got into the Cadillac. He drove her home and helped her carry her bags into the house. Edna had kept dinner warm for them so they ate and answered the fifty questions (not really but all of you should know what I mean) that she had to ask.

Afterwards, Tracy escorted him to his car, where he picked her up in a bear hug and kissed her until they both ran out of breath.

Then watched as he drove away, and went back into her own house, knowing he'd probably infiltrate her dreams again tonight.


	2. First Day of School

AN- Forgot to put that I don't own Hairspray… whoops. What is this fascination with putting Link in situations where he's wet? Heh heh heh… Ahem, sorry, here's the next chapter.

The porch swing on the Larkin's house was installed the month after Link's parents moved in and right before his mom told his dad they'd be parents.

They'd use it every night to wind down and talk about their days. Link would remember watching them swing back and forth, holding hands and laughing.

After her death it didn't get used much. Link's father threw himself into work to try and cope with his wife's death, leaving his son to do whatever he pleased.

But it was being used now. Link had never had any past girls on it because he associated it more with his parents love than a good kissing spot.

It was just natural to sit on it with Tracy. To swing back and forth with her head on his shoulder and talk about anything that came to mind.

Especially when the news that Mrs. Velma von Tussle packed up her and her daughter and moved to Georgia.

"A school year without Amber… Well we know the classes will be quieter." Tracy said.

"And there'll be less drama." Link agreed.

"Have her friends picked out a new queen yet?"

"We'll find out."

He didn't tell Tracy Amber had done one nice thing, which was returning his class ring to him by leaving it in his locker at the Corny Collins Show. She wasn't suppose to know about that anyway, it was going to be her surprise birthday present next month.

"So what are you going to do after high-school?" Link asked.

"Well, I wanted to be a star, but if that didn't work out then I thought of becoming a motivational speaker or something… people tell me I'm good at that. And you?"

"I don't know, I've never thought of anything else besides getting a big break by singing."

"Well you still have another year to decide. Didn't the agents say they'd start recording you after you graduate from high-school?"

"Yeah."

There was silence for a while.

"Are you ready for the new school year?" Tracy asked.

"No. Are you?"

"No, I wish this summer would never end."

He squeezed her hand and they lapsed into a comfortable silence again.

* * *

He was up by seven, dressed and ready by seven thirty, and picked Tracy up at eight. They met Seaweed and Penny outside the school for a couple of minutes, and then went to their first class.

Which was (horror upon horrors) math. And even though both tried to concentrate during said class, neither quite could. Mainly because the teacher had assigned seats and Tracy ended up on one side of the room while Link ended up on the other, and there weren't any good mutual friends in between them to be able to pass notes.

So they suffered through it, listening about horrible numbers and how this number and this number could add or subtract to equal this number (which most of the time didn't work out because the numbers hated both of them).

And by the end of it they were ready to get out of there and onto a more interesting class.

This happened to be an acting class the school offered as an elective, and besides sharpening their acting skills the teacher made it so much fun.

Their grades for this class were on how well they did their parts in the two plays that the school hosted each year.

And because singing and dancing goes hand in hand with acting it seemed right up their ally.

They didn't think about the new queen bee of the school being in it though.

Tracy and Link had just walked into the auditorium where the class was being held, arms linked and talking quietly when this girl popped out of nowhere in front of them.

"Hello." She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "My name is Kimberly. I've heard all about you two."

They shared a look of _oh no_ before nodding their heads at her.

"The infamous Tracy Turnblad and Link Larkin. Well, I'm from the mid west and was quite happy where I was until my dumb parents decided to move here out of all places. Why not California or Hawaii or Flordia? I tell you, they're so retarded! I had the hottest guy, the lead spot of the cheerleading squad, and they just pack me up for this place!"

Tracy and Link blinked, wondering how a girl could talk so fast in a span of a few minutes.

"Well I'll be over there if you need anything, toodles!"

She sauntered back to what used to be Amber's girlfriends, giggling and acting like an idiot.

"Do you know what that was about?" Link whispered to Tracy.

"Not anymore then you do." Tracy replied. They took their seats in the auditorium and listened to the teacher's instructions.


	3. Creepiness

AN- Violent minions, all Kimberly did was say hi… haven't decided her intentions yet, hmm… Thanks for the love! Oh, don't own Lord of the Flies either.

Disclaimer- See chapter 2

Tracy stood at her locker, throwing various books in and taking out the book for the very last class of the day. Her knight in shining hair gel had run off to the bathroom, and Penny and Seaweed were nowhere to be found (surprise, surprise). What she didn't count on was being surrounded by _them._

Amber's cronies and their new queen bee Kimberly.

"Hello." Tracy said.

They all looked her over. It was really creepy how they all dressed, looked, and acted a like. She wondered if she had any pointy objects in case she had to escape somehow.

"Hello again." Kimberly said. The other girls nodded their heads in agreement, and stared at Tracy with the blankest expressions on their faces.

"Getting to all your classes?" Tracy asked.

"Oh yes." Kimberly answered, flipping her hair over her shoulder again.

"That's good. Did you like today's lunch?" Tracy prayed Link would get his butt back soon, she could take on maybe Kimberly but seven mini Kimberly's? No way.

"It wasn't too bad." Kimberly replied, glancing at her clones then back at Tracy. "So we were wondering if you would like to join us for a shopping trip sometime soon. Just all us girls."

Tracy was blindsided. These girls _had_ to have an ulterior motive; they used to treat her like she was a piece of dirt.

"Ill think about it." She answered.

"Whats going on here?" Link interrupted, plowing his way through the clones and next to Tracy.

"Nothing." Kimberly said, and with the flip of her hair the rest of the group diminished, leaving Tracy and Link to themselves.

"You okay Trace?" He asked, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah… I just got invited on a shopping trip with _them_."

Link looked shocked. "But weren't they your main torturers just this past year?"

"Yeah. Creepy." Tracy replied, grabbing his hand and heading off to class.

* * *

"A shopping trip Penny. I'm afraid they're going to take me somewhere and pull a Lord of the Flies stunt on me."

"Lord of the Flies?"

"Yeah, you know that book that Link had to read for a class? Well we read it together, and its these little British boys who get trapped on a island and go nuts; they end up killing two of their fellow classmates. One of them they pretend to hunt and trample/mutilate him to death."

"Wow." Penny said, popping her lollipop in and out of her mouth.

Penny technically was supposed to still be in her house, but after her mother had gone out to church had snuck out and walked over to the Trunblad's (her mother specifically told her she wouldn't allow her to ever see that family of devil worshippers as long as she lived)

Not like Penny ever listened to her.

"Maybe it wont be that bad."

"They said a girl's day out. Maybe I could ask if you could come, two against eight are better odds." Tracy replied.

Penny looked at her. "You would owe me for the rest of your life if that were to happen."

Tracy laughed. "You're on Penny. I notice you have a new ring on."

Penny brightened up. "Yeah, Seaweed gave me his ring yesterday. It was so sweet." Penny's eyes went glazed and her lollipop nearly dropped out of her mouth before Tracy pinched her.

"Ow!" She rubbed her arm. "Has Link given his to you yet?"

"No, he said he gave it to Amber but never said if she gave it back to him."

"Maybe she gave it back and he's waiting for a special occasion." Penny held out her hand and twisted it back and forth, examining the ring from all angles.

"It's not like it really matters. I know I'm his girl, I don't need a ring to prove it."

"Liar liar pants on fire." Penny sung, grinning at Tracy.

Tracy whacked her with a couch cushion.

* * *

Link sat on the porch swing, barely keeping it going with his feet. He stared at the ring in his hands, a dark blue stone set in silver with his high school name on it.

Not that he was thinking of anything deep, it just looked cool shining in the moonlight. And the house was always too big and lonely when he was the only one home.

His dad was off on another business trip, either in Chicago or Kansas City. Maybe he'd get a souvenir back, maybe not, depended on if his dad remembered he had a teenage son at home.

He'd been spending most of his free time over at the Turnblad house anyway. If he wasn't hanging out with Tracy in the living room (because Edna would not let the two out of her sight, smart woman that she is) then he was at the joke shop laughing at Wilber's antics or helping out at the cash register. They were his family now.

And he was glad he finally belonged somewhere. He walked into the house and picked up the phone for their usual goodnight call.


	4. Daddy Dearest Returns

Disclaimer: See chapter 2

Author's Ramblings: Wow.. twelve people have this story alerted! My minions! You all received Link hugs (heh heh heh)… Thanks for the love! R&R!

Timeline: Week after the beginning of school. The invitation to the mall was Thursday of that first week… On with the story!

* * *

Link pulled up to his house after the show's practice, and was shocked to see his dad's car in the driveway.

He parked and walked into the house, only to see his father wrapped in the arms of another woman in the living room.

They hadn't noticed him yet. She looked to be his dad's age, blonde hair graying at the crown.

He cleared his throat.

They broke apart and looked at him.

"Hello son." His dad said, coming over and drawing him into a hug.

Link pulled away. "When did you get home? And who's she?"

His dad laughed. "Oh we got back this afternoon while you were still in school. Link, I'd like you to meet Martha, soon to be your step-mother!'

"Step-mother?"

"Yeah, we met at work right after your mom died. We started out as friends, but then decided to go out on a date, and well now here we are."

"So all those business trips?"

"Just weekends of Martha and I."

Link took a couple of deep breaths. "You mean you've been lying to me and going on dates behind my back not considering my opinion on the lady? I've been raising myself for the past six years because of your wants?!"

"Son…"

"Don't say anymore. I'm going to Tracy's, don't wait up."

"Who's Tracy?" He heard his dad ask before he opened the door.

"You'd know if you'd been here." Link snarled, slamming the door.

He walked down the drive to his car, got in and drove away.

* * *

Tracy was sitting on the counter of the joke shop, painting her toe nails and waiting for the next customer.

She didn't expect to see her boyfriend open the door with a little more force than necessary.

She hopped off the counter.

He looked beyond pissed. He began pacing in front of her, muttering and gesturing angrily.

"Link?"

"_I'm going to strangle his fat old neck!"_

"Link!"

He didn't seem to hear her, so she stood in front of him until he stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Hey Trace." Some of the anger vanished, but he still had a wildness in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked, leading him behind the counter and making him sit on the chair.

"He's back."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah. Came in while we were in school apparently. Brings back this broad and tells me they are engaged."

"_What?"_

"Yeah. Tells me that he wasn't on business trips, he's been on weekend and weekly dates with this broad."

"How long has this been going on?"

"I didn't ask, I was so mad that I just left the house."

Link took a deep breath.

"I had to go somewhere before I killed him. So I got in my car and just went on autopilot. I think I told him I was coming over here."

Tracy rubbed the arm closest to her.

"You know you'll have to go back."

Link looked up, meeting her gaze. "Only if you come with me."

"Okay, just tell me when you want to go back."

* * *

Link ended up stocking the joke shop for the rest of the afternoon, stealing kisses when Tracy wasn't busy with customers. Finally it was time to close the store.

"Are you ready now?" Tracy asked.

Link nodded. She locked the front door of the shop and ran into her house to leave a note for her parents.

Then she came back out and got into Link's waiting car.

The drive back to Link's house was unusually silent. He kept a good grip on her hand though, squeezing it every so often.

Finally they pulled into the driveway. They got out and walked to the front door. Link took out his key and opened it.

Martha sat in the living room clutching a coffee cup. She got up as soon as the teens entered the room.

"Thank god you came back." She said, setting it down. "I put your father to bed, he was worried sick. Is this Tracy?"

Link nodded.

"Hello." Tracy said.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry for all the suddenness Link, I tried to arrange for us to meet but your father kept insisting we wait… can your father and I have a talk with you tomorrow on how to resolve all of this?"

Link looked at Tracy, then back at Martha. "Fine."

"Okay. It was nice meeting you Tracy, maybe Link will bring you over to dinner sometime soon?"

"Definitely sometime soon, night ma'am."

They walked back to his car and got in.

"Thanks." He said, kissing her hand.

"You'd do the same for me. Oh, do you want to go to the lake with my parents and I on Labor Day?"

"Sure." He smiled at her and pulled out of the driveway.


	5. Attack of the filler!

Disclaimer: See chapter 2

Author's Ramblings: I beg forgiveness for not updating in a month... or two… this story is giving me pains beyond belief… It shall be finished! I love you all! Read, review, throw rotted apples at me…

* * *

Relaxing.

The sound of the lake lapping against its bank while you sat in between your boy's legs and used his torso as a pillow.

And watched the sun go down.

And finally dozed off.

"Aw Wilbur, look at them." Edna whispered, nodding at Link and Tracy who were sound asleep under a tree.

Wilbur dug the camera out of the picnic basket and stealthily snapped a picture of the teens.

The group (Edna, Wilbur, Tracy, and Link) had driven down to the lake for Labor Day (Penny and Seaweed were with Maybelle, Inez, and the rest of that group on a trip to Illinois to see some relatives.)

After fishing, a picnic, and some swimming the two couples relaxed under the setting sun.

* * *

(Author fast-forwards a month for story line reasons)

_Whirrrrrrrr _(because you always have to make sounds whenever you do something)

* * *

::A month later and a Monday morning::

Penny and Tracy sat on the bleachers, very glad they had already been knocked out of dodge ball in their gym class. Penny was absentmindedly sucking on her lollipop and Tracy picking at a chipped fingernail.

Kimberly was the next to get knocked out.

"Hello Tracy." She said, flipping her hair and plopping down next to her. "Have you picked a date to go shopping with us yet?"

Tracy looked up. "Oh. Uh… no, if I did would you mind if Penny came a long?"

"Of course not, Jessica was just kicked out of the clique so we'll have room in my Corvette for her." Kimberly looked thoughtful before brightening up and grabbing Tracy's arm.

"I know! You two can come this Thursday and help me and the girls pick out homecoming dresses! This is perfect! I'll come pick you two up at four, give me your addresses after class."

She scampered off as the teacher blew the whistles for the girls to change.

Penny didn't realize what Tracy had done until they were changing.

"Tracy Edna Turnblad! You've signed our souls away to the devil!" She whispered furiously.

"It may not be that bad Penny, alone she seems nice." Tracy responded. "And besides, I didn't get a chance to agree, the teacher blew the whistle."

As if on cue, Kimberly popped her head in.

"Addresses ladies?" She asked, handing Tracy a notebook and pen.

Tracy carefully wrote down hers. "Just drop by my house, Penny and I'll be waiting."

Kimberly snapped the notebook shut and sashayed away.

"See Penny, now I've signed my soul away to the devil."

"Our souls Trace, _our_ souls."

* * *

Later that day at the Turnblad residence

"Mr. Turnblad?"

Wilbur turned to the young man. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Wilbur, Link?"

Link smiled. "Just being polite sir. Isn't Tracy's birthday coming up?"

"Yes, at the end of this month, why?"

"I need your and Mrs. Turnblad's help in throwing her a surprise birthday party."

"Ah. We'd be delighted. Just give us the date and time and we'll help out anyway we can Link."

"Thank you sir." Link went back to cutting up the boxes the newest joke shop merchandise had come in.

* * *

More Author's Ramblings: I know its short, don't kill me! I promise, pinky swear, cross my heart and hope to die that it'll have another chapter by the weekend! Ahem… until then! 


End file.
